Chapter 149: Chapter 149
Kakashi paused, his silence a subtle agreement to Tsunade's words.
His gaze remained fixed on the distant figure, and a slight frown creased his brow.
The mysterious man before them claimed to be Jiraiya's friend, but his overwhelming power left Kakashi questioning his intentions.
"What could this man be planning?"
After their meeting in the Hokage office, Carnes and Demiurge roamed through the village, taking in the sights.
Eventually, they found themselves at the famous Hokage Rock.
Regardless of Tsunade's trust or Kakashi's doubts, Carnes seemed indifferent to the atmosphere.
He had come to this world with the mindset of a traveler. Whether or not he would fulfill the system task depended solely on his mood.
The fate of Konoha, the lives of its people, and even its destruction held little significance for him.
Carnes settled onto a boulder, examining the Hokage Rock with an unimpressed expression.
"Is this the famous Hokage Rock with all the Hokage's faces carved into it?"
"It appears quite ordinary..." Carnes remarked casually, taking a seat on a nearby boulder.
As he squatted there, Carnes reflected on the immense span of time he had traversed, so lengthy that memories of his previous life were fading into obscurity.
Having spent most of his existence wandering the seas and engaging in battles, now the famous landmarks and individuals from his former life that he liked so much, failed to evoke much wonder in him.
Demiurge watched Carnes with admiration, his face reflecting reverence.
'The years may not have left a mark on the captain's body, but they've certainly enriched his life,' he thought.
'Hokage? They're merely just ordinary humans. It's too modest for the captain to call them "average", in fact I think the captain is thinking too much of them.'
He continued to muse, 'Small characters like them have such massive statues in their honor, and others admire them.
Yet, a man as strong as our captain doesn't receive such recognition, no he deserves even greater recognition.'
'Captain, you brought me here for some reason, didn't you...'
'Ahh, yes! I now understand it. How stupid was I to not get it earlier?'
Demiurge chuckled inwardly, anticipating Carnes' praise once the task was completed.
Demiurge believed he understood Carnes' thoughts. Pushing up his glasses, he wore a knowing smile.
'I must be the captain's most capable and considerate subordinate. What a great leader our captain is planning for so ahead. I'll make sure he praises himself for this later.'
Unbeknownst to Carnes, who was appreciating the scenery like a tourist, Demiurge had already figured out how this would play out.
After a while, Carnes rose from his perch, a hint of nostalgia in his expression.
"The Hokage's now? They can't hold a candle to the previous generation... They pale in comparison."
It was at this moment that a girl with short pink hair emerged from the shadows.
She was Sakura.
She fixed her gaze on Carnes, her brows furrowing slightly.
"Even though you're a friend of Jiraiya's, making such comments in front of Hokage Rock seems rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
Carnes simply offered a faint smile upon hearing her words, choosing not to respond.
He had weathered the storms of life and had little inclination to engage in debate, especially with this young girl.
Moreover, he had already detected Sakura's attempts at stealthily following him, but he couldn't be bothered to address it.
As for his evaluation of the Hokages, Carnes believed it was entirely justified.
Among the Hokages of Konoha's later generations, with the exception of the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato, who had earned his reputation, there was no one else who truly measured up.
Who else could truly stand on the same stage?
Sarutobi Hiruzen, defeated by Orochimaru?
Tsunade, who wasn't even considered a Kage-level ninja?
She was mostly known for her healing abilities.
Or Kakashi, who rarely gave his all?
It was a jest, really. While these individuals might be considered skilled and strong.
They weren't even in the same league as the legendary Hokage's of the previous era, the gap that separated them was vast.
If only the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, were still alive; he could handle the lot of them.
He knew that none of these contemporary Hokage's could hold a candle to Hashirama's might.
In fact, Hashirama could likely defeat them singlehandedly.
And it would have been impossible for Carnes to receive the task from the system at all.
If Nagato dared to attack Konoha under Hashirama's rule, he would surely be swiftly dealt with.
...
"You..." Sakura began to speak, wanting to continue the argument.
However, before she could utter another word, Carnes vanished from her sight.
'The mighty lion doesn't waste its time arguing with ants, that's my captain!'
'You can count me too, I'm with him on that!'
Demiurge's face displayed a bemused smile before he too disappeared, leaving Sakura astonished and bewildered.
...
A few days had passed since their arrival in the Naruto world.
Carnes and Demiurge found themselves seated at the famous Ichiraku ramen restaurant.
"Hmm, your ramen is truly exceptional," Carnes complimented as he placed his empty bowl aside.
He then casually withdrew a stack of banknotes and laid them on the table.
Over the past few days, Carnes had become a frequent visitor of the Ichiraku restaurant.
After all, how would a journey to a new world be complete without eating the local foods?
Moreover, this ramen, which was loved by many characters in the original manga, was undeniably delicious.
It lived up to its reputation.
"As long as you enjoyed it, you don't need to pay so much," Teuchi replied with a warm smile.
However, he only accepted one bill from the pile of banknotes, pushing the rest back.
He was a man of principles, after all.
Carnes didn't insist any further.
He waved his hand casually, a small simple forming on his mouth.
"Well then, let's have a few more bowls!"
In any case, the money had been snatched by Demiurge from some unknown bigwig criminal, so there was no problem spending it on this delicious ramen.
Teuchi, the ramen chef, didn't hesitate to comply.
He got busy once more, bustling about behind the counter.
In no time, the aroma of steaming bowls of ramen wafted through the air as they were kept in front of Carnes and Demiurge.
However, after savoring a few mouthfuls, Carnes slowly lowered his chopsticks, a contemplative expression crossing his face.
His gaze shifted upward to the vast expanse of the sky, and he let out a sigh.
"Truly, who could have thought, enjoying a simple bowl of noodles could be a dangerous endeavor now."
Meanwhile, within the Konoha's Barrier Team.
"There's an intruder!"
"Intruder detected!"
"The target's been spotted at Point B!"
....
Simultaneously, back at Carnes' location:
"Has it begun?"
Carnes inquired with raised eyebrows.
His Observation Haki had reached an astounding level, allowing him to sense the movements of others with uncanny precision.
The moment the Six Paths of Pain and Konan entered Konoha, he was already aware of their presence.
.
.
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